A Morning With Ikari (Story Request)
by SpazzieBunnie
Summary: A short Request story about Retsuko and Haida, being a happy couple, having to wake up to the sound of their baby Ikari and trying to make their baby boy happy. (Requested by kingdomofkitten) (Ikari belongs to kingdomofkitten also)


The morning could have been peaceful. The temperature being a cool breeze with the sky being that baby blue color with white puffy clouds. The sun beaming to keep the citizens of Japan warm. It was a perfect setting for two mammals who were sleeping soundly. It was the snoring and cuddling sleepy couple, Retsuko and Haida. Having to have dated some years ago with their future growing brighter more and more. Raises, Getting promotions, even now raising a newborn baby. A hyena/red panda mixed baby.

Like I said, the morning could have been peaceful. Until the screams of a needy baby were heard. The couple starting to wake up slightly with Retsuko getting up and stretching after having a good sleep. Haida was awake but still felt groggy. The red panda yawned as she moved her body and got down from their bed.

They lived in a pretty average house. With there being three bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, kitchen and even a basement. They mainly did it for the sake of their baby. A crying baby in an apartment could cause problems. So, they got a house in a calming neighborhood that was close to their workplace.

Now normally they would wake up, get dressed, and one of them gets ready for work or they would hire a babysitter for their baby. They both had the day off so they are in no rush.

Retsuko walks out of the room to head over to the door that was facing her as it was the baby room. She opened the door to reveal the small crib, the light colored room, and a bunch of toys and a bench for changing diapers. Her mother really went out on this room to make it perfect.

She walks over to their baby Ikari. Their baby boy who kept screaming for something. She picked him up gently and brought him close to her as she held onto him close.

"Shhhh. Don't cry little Ikari." Retsuko sweetly said in her tired yet still calming tone. Still the baby kept crying. She sniffed him to see if his diaper needed to be changed. Nope, it was clean. So he is crying for something else. Maybe some baby food could help calm him down. "I'll go get you some food. Maybe some chicken baby food?" He started to calm down as if that was what really wanted. Retsuko sighed out of getting it right right off the bat. "Common. Lets go get some food in your tummy." She walks out of the room while still holding him.

Out of the corner of her eye in her and Haida's bedroom she witnesses Haida getting up and starting to get his phone from his desk next to his side of the bed as he was in his pajama shirt and pants. She was in her casual pajama shirt and pants as well. Almost matching too it was her mother's idea for a gift for a happy married couple. Still they were comfy so they both didn't mind it.

Retsuko walks down the steps while nuzzling her baby softly as Ikari coos lightly to show he was getting calm. The red panda walks over into the kitchen where next to the table her and Haida eat at is Ikari's baby chair.

She moves the small table of the crib to have him sit down in as she places the plastic table on it and has it locked on so it wouldn't fall off. "There we go. Ready for breakfast?" Retsuko asked as she was getting ready to get his bib and getting his little plastic spoon and his baby food.

-Meanwhile-

Haida, in the meantime, was getting himself ready to wake up. Grabbing his phone as he looked over to see if there was any messages. The phone was on silent mode since there was no need to wake up today since the couple weren't busy or had any plans. The hyena saw that he had a missed call this morning. From Fennko, both Haida and Retsuko's friend and co-worker at their job.

He opened the phone app and started to call up Fenneko. He pretty much knew she wasn't in any trouble. She is a 'Chaotic Good' sort of person. After a few rings, he was able to hear the voice of that fennec fox.

"Morning sleepyhead." Fenneko said as Haida fake laughs as puts on his slippers.

"Sorry I didn't answer. Phone was on silent." He says as he was going out of the room and heading towards the bathroom down the hall. "What's going on?"

"Oh nothing." Said Fenneko. "I was just calling to see if you two had any plans tonight."

Haida walks into the bathroom as he reaches over to his bottle of mouthwash. "Oh I don't think so. Why's that?" He takes the plastic cap off and pours the light blue mouthwash into it as it was like a small cup size. He takes a sip and starts to move the liquid in his mouth.

"Oh well Tsunoda said she found this pretty big yet stylish restaurant. Has good food, calming atmosphere, great drinks. We figured you guys could catch a break from parenting." Fenneko explained as Haida spits into the sink and starts the sink as he takes a sip of water to cool his mouth.

It was no secret that Fenneko and Tsunoda would get together. The two bickered and had some rivalry back then, but at some point they just had a beer, sat down, and then something sparked between the two. They started dating as soon as Retsuko and Haida did. The hyena and red panda, heck even anyone, wouldn't be surprised if the fennec fox and gazelle popped the question to each other.

"Well, I'd have to ask Retsuko. She is busy taking care of Ikari." Haida wipes his mouth with a hand towel he had near the sink.

"Awwe. How is the little guy?" Fenneko asks since she was mostly their babysitter for their baby boy.

"He sounded pretty grumpy. We woke up to him crying. I guess it's feeding time for him." Haida says as he exits out of the bathroom and closes the door.

"Well let me know if you guys are coming ok?" Fenneko said as Haida agrees to tell her if they had no plans for tonight.

"Will do! Call you later." With Haida saying bye and so with Fenneko, he hangs up and puts the phone into his pocket as he walks down the stairs to head to the one place he knew where they would be. The kitchen.

He walked in to greet his girlfriend and child. Only to see that by Ikari's chair was him avoiding the baby food that was placed in the spoon. He moved his head and refused to open his mouth for it.

"Oh common Ikari, don't you want to eat? It's good for your empty tummy." Retsuko spoke out like a sweet mother as she was trying but to no avail.

"I guess he isn't wanting his food?" Haida says to the 'close to giving up' red panda.

"It just seems like he doesn't even know what he wants" Retsuko lets out a frustrated sigh.

"Yeah, that's pretty much a definition of a baby/kid." Haida takes the spoon and baby food from her hands. "Mind if I give it a shot?"

"Be my guest." Retsuko stands back as she goes and opens the fridge to get some water to drink as Haida goes to his son who looks at him. Looking slightly grumpy yet happy to see his parents in the same room together.

"Hey little guy. You wanna eat this for mommy and daddy? It will make you big and strong like us!" Haida was acting playful to his kid to get a reaction out of him. Still nothing from the baby boy. "Oh, here comes the traaaiiinn." he makes train noises as he brings the spoon closer to his sons mouth. Ikari still refuses. Moving around his head.

"I tried the train, the plane, even tried the pacifier trick. Nothing seems to work Haida." Retsuko took a sip of water as she watched her husband trying everything to get their child to eat. Then it hit her. "Where is the pacifier?"

"In the sink." He says as he still deals with Ikari as he tries to make him eat it. "Oh common. Look, daddy can eat it." Haida takes a spoonful of the mushy baby food. "See? It's good!" He muffles softly while trying to keep a straight face while wondering how the heck could babies eat this slob.

Retsuko looks in the empty clean sink to see the pacifier. She grabs it and turns on the sink faucet as she washes it. Ikari loves his little pacifier. It was a gift from his parents, so of course he would cherish it.

"Here Haida." Retsuko says to Haida as she tosses the clean pacifier to him. He catches it as he finally swallows the baby food.

"You want this?" He hands his son the pacifier with Ikari looking at it. The baby looked confused somewhat.

Retsuko walks over to Haida as she sees the baby open his mouth and put the pacifier in. Chewing and doing suckles on it. The parents felt peace as they sighed together in union since they weren't sure it would work.

"Oh thank the heavens." Retsuko and Haida say together as they watch him being calm.

"Oh hey, Fenneko called and said if you and I wanted to come down to this one resturant her and Tsunoda found." Haida tells Retsuko as she drinks her water from her bottle.

"Oh? Well I guess it has been a while...I could call my mom and see if she would babysit Ikari." Retsuko says as Haida goes in the fridge to get a can of soda.

"We also have Kabae. She is off tomorrow at work. And you know Ikari loves Kabae and her funny voices and faces." Haida points out with his red panda chuckling as she nods. Either one would work for the two.

"So is it a fancy place?" Retsuko questioned in curiosity. Before Haida could even think if the place had a fancy vibe to it, he was hit in the head by a small plastic toy. He felt no pain but he looked down to see Ikari's pacifier was on the floor.

He bent over and picked it up. The two adults look at Ikari as he still was grumpy. They groaned.

"Oh common Ikari, don't tell me it is a grumpy day today." Retsuko was pleading with her child now. They couldn't know what to do. They tried everything that could make a baby happy. Baby food, pacifiers, what's next? That is when Haida snapped his fingers.

"Maybe he wants to watch cartoons?" The hyena had an idea. It was something to try. They both helped each other out as Haida went to get little Ikari out of his chair and Retsuko going to the living room to turn on the flatscreen they had attached to the wall.

Retsuko scrolled through channels to find the one cartoon channel that Ikari loves. It was colorful and dumb, but it was a kids show. Long as it made him happy, it made his parents happy.

Haida sat down on the couch with Ikari being on his leg as Retsuko sits next to them. A colorful red panda appears and causing crazy antics with his pals. A hyena and a fennec fox. Both Haida and Retsuko thought in their heads and grinning softly how the show would turn adult as soon as they show the adult life style and the red panda struggling on his job. Now that would be a show they could watch.

Ikari just sat there but still wasn't entertained. Even when his favorite parts come in, since it was a re-run, he still wasn't enjoying it.

Retsuko gets up and goes into the kitchen to try to think of what she could do for her baby. All the while Haida is still determined to make his son happy.

"Oh look! Here comes the wacky hyena! Ain't he silly Ikari?" He says but to be left off hanging as his son doesn't laugh. Nor even loom impressed. "Oh...I guess my son doesn't love me...Noooooobodddyy caaaarrreeeessss."

"I care!" Retsuko shouts in the kitchen, still using her mindset while walking back and forth. They tend to do that as a funny joke. It always got Ikari to be giddy and happy when his parents act goofy.

"Do you wuv daddy too my little big boy?" Haida nuzzles on his son lightly. Only a short cuddle but still being a grumpy boy. Ikari was being a grumpy pants, but he had to give his father some love and attention. Otherwise he be going more insane due to not getting attention the same way with how Ikari would be without his pacifier.

But Ikari didn't need his pacifier. He needed something else. But what was it? Retsuko was thinking. She had to think. No cartoons. Not hungry for baby food. Not even wanting to have his favorite pacifier.

She walked back and forth. Until she looks over to the fridge since she apparently drank the whole bottle of water as she was stepping back and forth without even knowing she did. That's when it hit her. "Oh my gosh I finally caught it."

-Several Minutes Later-

The microwave began to beep as Haida goes to it and opens the door to it. Inside the kitchen item was a milk bottle. Retsuko and Haida felt like dummies as they couldn't even think of the milk bottle being the first thing to try on their list of making their son happy.

It was working though, as Ikari was reaching for that bottle of milk now. Haida tests the warmth of the milk by putting a squirt of the milk from the bottle onto his arm. It was warm enough for the baby.

"I can't believe we didn't think of that." Haida says as he gives the bottle to Retsuko who was sitting on a chair and starting to feed their baby. In seconds, Ikari wasn't looking like a grump anymore. He was pretty much happy.

"Well being parents can be a tough job. We can't always know the problem with our little Ikari." She looks at her baby as Ikari was sucking the bottle's nipple away as he was drinking the milk fast.

Haida agreed with what his wife said. "Yeah. I guess you are right." As he sits down next to Retsuko, his rocking ringtone starts to go off on his phone. He reaches into his pocket to see it was Fenneko calling. The smug face appearing as the photo for her contact.

He answers it and says hello to her. "Hey man. I haven't heard anything from you. Is everything ok?" Fenneko says to Haida as he calms her down.

"Yeah. Sorry for not calling, we were dealing with Ikari all day and we finally got him calm." Haida tells Fenneko as she pretty much understood.

"I'm gonna take a shot and say that you are feeding him milk right?" That fennec fox was as quick as a bullet when it came to guessing correctly.

"Yep…"Haida nods as Fenneko was doing her monotone like laughter. "Hey, taking care of a baby isn't easy."

"Well I don't need kids. I can only do babysitting. Since babies cost time, money, and life spans. Marriage is something I could handle. Plus I know always to try the milk option first. They always cry without milk." Fenneko was too dang smart. Sometime she freaked out anybody. Maybe Director Ton as well.

"Well anyway, me and Retsuko agreed on coming over tonight. I'll up someone to watch over Ikari." Haida gently boops his sons nose as Ikari was still drinking until he was almost done with the bottle.

"That's great!" Fenneko shouts out softly. "I'll contact Tsunoda and tell her about you guys coming. Dress fancy ok?" Her words pretty much told the two mammals right away that the restaurant was going to be fancy.

"I gotcha. We will see you tonight!" Haida tells Fenneko as the two and Retsuko say their goodbyes and Haida hangs up.

Ikari finishes his bottle of milk as Retsuko puts the bottle down and starts to move Ikari so his front body was laying on the front of Retsuko's chest and his small head resting on her shoulder. She starts to gentle pat his back.

"I'll go call Kabae and see if she if she is free tonight. I know she wouldn't say no to Ikari." Haida says to Retsuko as he gives her a quick kiss on her cheek to which cause her cheeks to blush red as he gets up and starts to dial for Kabae.

Retusko then finally manages to get Ikari to burp loudly. "There we go. We feel good now?" She holds him close to her in her arms as he smiles at his mother. She grabs his pacifier that was by the kitchen table and puts it in his mouth. He sucks on it and finally is at peace. No cries. No grumpy mood. He was in the clear.

-The Following Night-

Haida and Retsuko were dressed up in sleek attire as they walked into the kitchen with Haida holding Ikari. Haida having to wear a black jacket and matching pants with a white vest shirt while keeping his red tie he uses for work. It made him look good. While Retsuko wears a sparkling like red dress that goes down all the way to the fibula part of the legs. To Haida, she was like a literal angel. He swore he could feel his heart pounding again as if he was in love with her again.

"Man. You look beautiful Retsuko." He complimented his girlfriend as she gave a big blush and smile on her face as a thank you.

"You look good yourself Haida.' Retsuko complimented back as Haida smiled and looked over to their son as he had that pacifier in his mouth.

All day they had got to feed him both with milk and baby food, played with him, and gave him a bath before they got dressed. They already took a shower in the morning after feeding Ikari so they were good and ready.

"So Kabae texted me. She said she will be here soon." The red panda says as she goes to the living room to sit down and wait for the hippo as her hyena boyfriend follows and sat next to her.

"So what you think the place will have?" Haida questioned Retsuko as she panders her thoughts about it.

"I ain't sure. It's for adults only and no kids can be allowed in." She slightly frowns, gently tickling Ikari as he giggled cutely.

"I know…" Haida said. "I wanted to bring him along too. But Fenneko said kids weren't allowed." They both sigh softly in a sad tone. They didn't want to leave their baby, but they had no choice. They never mind bringing him along. He was simply cute and everyone loved him. Even at the office building. Ton seemed pretty weak when it came to the stare Ikari gives him if he was calling his parents names. He was their secret weapon most of the time.

Retsuko nuzzles on to Haida's arm. "I'll call in tomorrow. I got Ikari for the day."

"Yep. It's a pattern that keeps on working. Plus we got Fenneko incase we both are busy." Said Haida. The two felt happy and at peace. They were ready for the night.

Until an awful and bad smell appeared. They both look over at the direction of it. It was Ikari. It was time for his diaper to be changed. Just as the two parents looked at each other, the doorbell rings.

"I got it!" Retsuko quickly speaks up as she gets up and runs to the door as Haida sighs and looks at his son.

"Oh boy...let's get you cleaned up before we introduce you to Kabae huh?" Haida gets up as he holds his smelly but innocent boy and walks upstairs to head into Ikari's room. Haida puts on a bag clip on his own nose to protect his sense of smell as he enters the room.


End file.
